Sample collection thermal desorber

Abstract

A thermal desorption apparatus is configured to detect a substance of interest in a sample, the apparatus comprising: a wand configured to support a swab and a detector comprising an analyser arranged to detect a substance of interest, wherein the wand is configured to couple to the detector such that thermal desorption of a sample from the swab provides a part of the sample to the analyser.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A thermal desorption apparatus, configured to detect a substance of interest in a sample, the apparatus comprising:
 a wand comprising an elongated wand body having a lateral surface and a distal tip and a swab support configured to support a swab, 
 wherein the swab support is positioned over the distal tip and coupled to the wand body lateral surface and, 
 wherein the swab support is configured to flex with respect to the wand body between a sample collection position and a heating position, while remaining attached to the wand body, 
 wherein the swab support is deflected against the wand body in the sample collection position so that the wand body furnishes additional mechanical support to the swab for swabbing to collect a sample, and 
 wherein the swab support is biased to flex away from the wand body to provide a spacing between the swab support and the distal tip of the wand body to thermally insulate the swab from the wand body while the swab is heated for thermal desorption of the sample from the swab; and 
 a detector comprising an analyser arranged to detect a substance of interest; 
 wherein the wand is configured to couple to the detector such that thermal desorption of the sample from the swab provides a part of the sample to the analyser. 
 
     
     
       2. The thermal desorption apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the swab support is resilient. 
     
     
       3. The thermal desorption apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the swab support comprises a heater for heating the collected sample. 
     
     
       4. The thermal desorption apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the wand comprises an electrical coupling for coupling electrical power to the heater, wherein the coupling is arranged to electrically couple with the detector when the wand is coupled to the detector and, further comprising an electrical contact configured to engage the electrical coupling, the electrical contact being disposed on an internal portion of a housing for the detector that forms a port to receive at least a portion of the wand. 
     
     
       5. The thermal desorption apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the swab support is disposed substantially at an end of the wand body, the wand further comprising:
 a sleeve coupled to the wand body, the sleeve configured to secure the swab to the swab support. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the swab support is resilient.